WHAT DO YOU NEED TO HAVE BEFORE GETTING STARTED IN 3 GUN?

A common question on forums, Social media etc from people interested in 3 gun is what gear do I need?

Now I could hit you with a giant sales pitch of why you need each and every one of my products, and how they are the best way to set yourself up for success, or go on rants about the best optics triggers, shotguns for 3 gun etc…..but I’m not gonna do that. 

Telling new shooters that they need to go out and spend thousands on guns and gear just to get started isn’t helping anyone. Instead I’ll give you a list of the 8 things that you NEED to get started. 

1) you need a pistol. Which pistol? Whatever you want to shoot. Have a $6000 atlas 2011? Perfect. Have a bone stock Glock 17? Even perfecter(that’s a word, right?) You don’t need to have a fancy competition gun to start. Use what you have, as long as it is functional and safe to use. Reliability is always a plus. 

My first 3gun setup wasn’t perfect, but it worked to get me started

2) you need a rifle. Which rifle? Well same as above, you don’t need a $2000 F-1 Firearms BDR-15-3G ( or whatever the hot new gun of the times is).  All you need is a functional, safe, and preferably reliable semi automatic rifle chambered in a rifle caliber. Take your pick of any of the plethora of AR-15’s on the market(or build your own). There is no shortage of them and many can be had for a reasonable price. If you are going to purchase an AR-15 for 3 gun, try to stay away from the bottom of the barrel priced guns. You don’t want to break the bank, but there 

are differing levels of quality. Running what you already may have is fine. 

3) you need a shotgun. Which shotgun? A reliable, pump or semi automatic 12 gauge. Rem 870’s, mossbberg, make decent pump guns. Stoeger, Remington, benelli all make decent semi autos. Again, you don’t need the fanciest race model to start. If it’s safe, functional, chambered in 12 gauge, then you are probably good to go. 

4) you need a holster. Preferably a good quality holster that is for your specific pistol. Nylon holsters/uncle mikes/sticky holsters are not good choices. It needs to be able to retain the gun during moderate physical activity, cover the trigger guard adequately, and it needs to reliably stay on your belt. Cross draw, small of the back, and shoulder holsters are a no no. 

5) you need eye protection. A good pair of safety glasses are a must. This doesn’t mean spending $400 on fancy ballistic operator shades. They just need to be regular safety glasses to protect your eyes. 

6) ear pro. You need heating protection. Electronic ear muffs specifically for shooting are getting less and less expensive and are awesome. They let you have conversations while protecting your ears from ear damaging gun shots. Foam earplugs are another option and are very inexpensive. 

7) ammo. You will need ammo. Lots of matches post a minimum round count, but bring more than that. We all miss sometimes.  Use what ammo you have that cycles well in your gun. Some shotguns are picky about what they will cycle so try to sort that out before match day. For shotguns specifically you will typically need birdshot and occasionally slugs. 

For rifle, just make sure that you aren’t using green tip ammo(armor penetrating, steel core) as this will damage steel targets and get you sent home, possibly along with a bill for the target. For pistol, make sure it’s the right caliber for your gun, and that it functions. 

8) you need a way to carry spare ammo/magazines. You will want to have a few spare pistol magazines, a spare rifle mag, and a way to carry shotshells. Belt mounted mag pouches are best for rifle/pistol mags. Shotshell caddies are best for spare shotshells. But neither of these are absolutely necessary. Your pockets will hold spare magazines, and a dump pouch can be used for shotshells, though pockets can be used for those as well. Is that fast? No. Is it efficient? Not really. But it does work, and will let you try out the game before dumping a bunch of money into it first. I shot my first season using a plate carrier for mags and a HSGI dump pouch for shotshells. It was slow. It was heavy. It was fun, and it was functional(ish). 

That’s it. That’s really all you need to get started. 

Once you’ve shot a match or two, you’ll see what everyone else uses and decide which direction you want to go with your guns and gear. But regardless of what gear/ guns you run, or how much you invest initially, there are 3 things I can assure you will happen at your first match:

1) you won’t be the fastest or best

2) you will learn a ton

3) you will have a heck of a good time. 

I’ve yet to shoot a match where the people weren’t welcoming, and helpful. You will get plenty of offers from other shooters to let you try out their gear. 3 gunners were some of the nicest people you will meet. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the gear race but that isn’t necessary to start. The point is to get out there, test your skills, learn the sport, and have fun.

So get out there and shoot. Once you’ve tried it out, shoot me an email with any specific gear questions you may have, and I can help you out with a purpose built competition rig. 

See you on the range.

Brent

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